Apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates



Nov. 17,1925. 1,561,846 7 w B. J. J. GOULDING APPARATUS FOR CASTING CURVED STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 28. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 17, 1925- 1,561,846

B. J. J. GOULDING u'nnuus won CASTING cuavmn' s'rmwo'rvrn PRINTING PLATES Filed Aug. 28 923 3 sheet -sheet 2 Nov. 17, 1925- 1,561,846

B. J. J. GOULDING APPARATUS FOR CASTING GURVED STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES 1 Filed Aug 28. 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

umrsn starts BENJAMIN JOSEPH JOHN GOULDING, 0F AIJTBINCHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR' TO 'LINOTYIEE AND M'AoHInER-Y LID/BITE GREAT BRITAIN.

13,01; Lennon, ENGLAND, A COMPANY OF APPARATUS FOR: oasrnvei CURVED smnREorYP-s PRINTING PLATES;

' Application filed August 28 -1923; Se'rial Noi 659,731.

To all whonm'z, may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Josnrri JOHN GoULnINo, a British subject, and residing at Linotype and Machinery Works, Altrincham, in the county of Chester, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Casting Curved- Stereotype Printing, Plates, of which the following-is a specification.

This invention relatesto improvements in apparatus for" casting curved stereotype printing plates, and has'tor a particular object to provide new or improved means for enabling plates of different diameter or curvature to be produced by one and. the same apparatus.

The type of apparatus to which the inven tion is especially applicable, is that which comprises a meltingpot, a'vertical casting mould or box (known in the art as a cast ing box) whereincurved stereotype, printing plates are cast'on a. cylindrical core from 'metalreoeived from the melting pot,'.dri.v-

ing mechanism for turning the core about its axis, and trimming mechanism fortrimming the plates during the turning ofthe core, all substantially as described in Letters'Patent No. 1,009,8671

In the abstract'the object of the present invention may be said't'o reside in the'provision of an arrangement wherein a plurality of ca stingboxes of dilterent diameters or curvatures can be supplied from one and the same" melting pot to which they can-be presented in'any desired order and'wherein the plates cast in allof said boxes can be trimmed by one and the same trimming mechanism.

The invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawings \vhic'h'are to be taken as part or" this specilioation and. read therewith In these drawings I I I v Figures'l and 1 are a plan, partly diagrammatic, of one constructionalitorm of the said invention,

Figure 2 is a transverse section'ofpart of the apparatus taken on l ne 2'2 ofF1gure' 1, and

Figure 3 isa diagram of a modified arrangement of the. apparatus. p

In the arrangement as illustrated. in Figures 1, 1 and 2, provisionis made for the interchange of five difi'erent casting boxes, but as these boxes difi'er from each other only as regards their diameter or ourvature', it is believed that the single one rep resented in'th'edrawing as an example, will sufiice to "afford a clear understanding ofthe invention; This casting box 1 is shown in casting position and; like each of the other casting boxes, is mounted on a base-plate 2 which can be readily attached to, and detached from, the base-plate 3 carrying the driving and trimming mechanism. 4, this latter base plate" being, as ordinarily, inpermanent fixed relationship to the melt'ing pot 5.

A convenient means for d'etachably securing the. base-plate 2to the base-plate 3 is provided bypins' 6, 6 which accurately fit into holes in two pairs ofmutually-register- I ing lugs 2 and 3 formed"respectively on the base plates 2 and 3;

Each casting boxwbase-plate' 2' is provided withtWo' sets of rollers 7a'nd8 of which the former ,(7') are adapted to travel along a track't) leadingto, and extending across, a turntable'10. By mean'softlns turntable the interchange of thefcastingj boxes is effected, there being as many tributary tracks radiating from theiturnta'ble10', in addition to the main track-'9; asthereare interchangeable ca's'tin'g boxes; five'is the numberrin the example illustrated, these be'infggrespective'ly identified by'the 'r'efere'nce nu'me'ralsll, 11 11', 11 are 11"; The rollers 8 are adapted to travel a longa shorttrack 12 in'permanent rigid connection withthebase pjlate 3' out the driving and trimming mechanism. The peripheral' contour of the rollers 8 and'the shaean'd fheight of the rails 12, see particu arly'Figure 2, are such as to bring the selected casting: box into'cor'rect operative register with the metal-pot mouth-piece 13 and driving mechanism 4:; in Figure 1-,. it is the before partioularized casting box 1, which is shown in this operative register. The" tributary tracks 11., 11 etc, constitute separate docks each for accommodating one of the'interchang'eable' casting boxes when they'are not in operativeposition. I

A convenient'p'ointat which to make and break 'connection'between the driving mech anism 4 and the casting box, is' that at which the clutch 14' is usually provided in existing apparatus, is shown in Figure 1 in which figure the line marked a, 7), represents the meeting edges of the two base-plates 2, 3.

When, with the foregoing arrangement, it desired to efiect an operative change of casting box, the base-plate 2 appertaining to the casting box then in operative position, is disconnected from the base-plate 3 by *ithdrawing the pins 6, and moved along first the track 12 and thereafter along the track 9 towards, and on to, the turntable 10 from which, after the latter is turned to the desired position, this same casting box is removed on to the pertinent tributary track or dock 11 or ll etc. The turntable is then turned to the position necessary for receiving the substitute casting boX which is then run on to it, and thence to the track 9 leading towards the melting pot 5 and along which it is moved until it reaches the track 12 which raises it ott the track 9, as shown in Figure 2, and directs it to its proper operative position wherein it can then be secured by means 01' the registering pins (5. lVhen this attachment is completed, the casting box is held rigidly in position to co-operate with the metal-pot mouth-piece l3, and driving and trimming mechanism 4i. in the same manner as though the two base-plates 2 and 3 were formed as parts of one and the same entity.

By the foregoing means, therefore, the casting and trimming of a number of stereotype plates or relatively diilerent diameter or curvature is rendered possible with the use of only one metal pot with its associated driving and trimming mechanism.

When the foregoing improvements are embodied in an installation having what is known as a twin or double metal pot as shown in Figure 3, each element 5 or 5 of said pot together with the respective driv ing and trimming mechanism 4r or 4, may be regarded as a separate unit and arranged to serve its own complement or set of casting boxes. In such an arrangement certain of the tributary tracks appertaining to the respective turntables, can be mutually connected through a further track 11 and other turntables 10" and 10", so as to enable the casting boxes 1 of diiierent sets, to be used interchangeably with the different metal pot units 5, 5 and driving and trimming mechanisms l, et

With the last-named modification in view, it will be obvious that by a further development the invention could be embodied in an installation having a multiple pot arrangement comprising more than the two units included in said modification.

Having described my invention, I declare that what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates, having a molten metal menses delivery mouth-piece, a driving and trimming mechanism, and aplurality of interchangeable casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively into and out of operative relationship to the said mouth-piece and mechanism each independently of another, characterized by the i'act that the casting moulds can be thus moved in any order of succession.

2. In apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates, the combination with a source of molten-metal supply and a plurality of casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively into and out of position each independently of another for receiving such metal, of a track along which the cast ing moulds are thus moved to the said position, a plurality of tributary tracks or docks and a turntable adapted to register with the track and decks, for permitting a casting mould to be moved from any of the docks into the aforesaid metal receiving position.

3. In apparatus for casting curved stereo type printing plates, the combination with a source of molten-metal supply and a driving and trimming mechanism, of a plurality of interchange-able casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively into and out of position each independently of another for re ceiving such metal, a corresponding plurality of docks each for accommodating one of the casting moulds, and means whereby the casting moulds can be brought into operative relationship to the said supply and driving and trimming mechanism in any order.

4. Apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates having in combination a source o1 molten-metal supply, a plurality of casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively into and out of position each independently of another for receiving such metal, a track along which the casting moulds are moved to the said position, a plurality of tributary tracks or docks, a turntable adapted to register with the track or docks, 'for permitting a casting mould to be moved from any of the docks into the aforesaid operative position and two sets of rollers on each casting mould, one set adapted to direct a casting mould towards and from the turntable, and the other set adapted to bring the said mould into and sup port it in operative register with the source of molten metal supply.

Apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates having in combination a source of molten-metal supply, a plurality of casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively into and out of position each independently of another for receiving such metal, a track along which the casting moulds are moved to the said position, a plurality of tributary tracks or docks, a turntable adapted to register with the track or docks, for permitting a casting mould to be moved from any of the docksinto the aforesaid operative position, two sets of rollers on each casting mould, one set adapted to direct a casting mould towards and from the turntable, and the other set adapted to bring the said mould into and support it in operative register with the source of molten metal supply and means such as the registering pins 6 for looking or securing a casting mould in operative register with the source of molten metal supply.

6. In apparatus for casting curved stereotype printing plates, the combination with a plurality of units each comprising a source of molten-metal supply and a driving and trimming mechanism, and, for each such unit, a plurality of casting moulds adapted to be moved alternatively and each independently of another into and out of position for receiving such metal, a track along which the casting moulds are thus moved to the said position, a plurality of tributary tracks or docks and a turntable adapted to register With the track and docks, of a further track and other turntables mutually connecting certain tributary tracks appertaining to the respective metal supply sources so as to admit of the opera tive interchange of the casting moulds appropriate to respectively different metal supply sources.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature hereto.

BENJAMIN JOSEPH JOHN GOULDING. 

